tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24417328.post5475122788141633533..comments2016-10-25T10:45:58.224+02:00Comments on Copenhagenize.com - Bicycle Culture by Design: The Bicycle is Booming - Just Not in DenmarkMikael Colville-Andersenhttps://plus.google.com/108270242317175376315noreply@blogger.comBlogger43125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24417328.post-70525576531476065122010-08-06T02:57:13.752+02:002010-08-06T02:57:13.752+02:00Note that frequent commens about the Northern terr...Note that frequent commens about the Northern territory &quot;dumping their helmet laws&quot; don&#39;t tell the whole story. <br /><br />On 31st March 1994 the NT Minister for Transport announced an amendment to the law to permit cyclists over the age of 17 to ride without a helmet &quot;along footpaths or on cycle paths which are not on roads&quot;.<br /><br />This is hardly a major change for the bulk of the population, so any big change in ridership presumably comes from kids who can make their whole trip on bike paths or from somethign else.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24417328.post-19008876628552211712009-07-10T15:35:10.859+02:002009-07-10T15:35:10.859+02:00I was hit by a car while cycling last October in M...I was hit by a car while cycling last October in Montreal (I commute by bike). I wasn&#39;t wearing my helmut. I sustained a severe fracture to my clavicle and fully tore my PCL due to impact with the windshield and flying over the roof of the car.<br /><br />I WASN&#39;T wearing a helmut. I DO now. Until you&#39;ve actually sustained severe injuries, whatever the mode of transportation or even sport activity you undertake, it&#39;s all statistics and conjecture as to what is best.<br /><br />I like wind in my hair when I cycle. However, I love the fact that I am back on my bike, and a better more conscientious cyclist, nevermind pedestrian and driver as a result, and so, I will wear a helmut and hope others don&#39;t learn that helmuts are as a good a precaution as condoms the hard road surface way.<br /><br />Final thought. Ever seen a car jump a curb and hit a pedestrian? It happens, so I&#39;m not raising my kid to think she&#39;s safer on bike paths with barriers.aleksnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24417328.post-4292309037774888492009-03-10T06:50:00.000+01:002009-03-10T06:50:00.000+01:00selected stats showing reductions in child cycling...selected stats showing reductions in child cycling as a result of helmet laws:<BR/><BR/>Australian Capital Territory - 33%-50% fewer cyclists.<BR/>New South Wales - 44%-90% fewer child cyclists. A reduction that is 5 times greater than increase in helmet use. 90% of teenage girls stopped cycling.<BR/>Northern Territory - 17%-39% fewer school children cycling. Fortunately the numbers rose again after NT dumped the helmet law.<BR/>Queensland - 22%-30% fewer children cycling.<BR/>South Australia - 38% fewer schoolchildren cycling.<BR/>Victoria - 36%-46% fewer children.<BR/>Western Australia - 50% fewer children cycling.<BR/><BR/>Canada:<BR/>Alberta - 41%-59% fewer children and teens cycling.Mikaelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16749740728099129703noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24417328.post-61230672800242857142009-03-10T03:12:00.000+01:002009-03-10T03:12:00.000+01:00You are right and wrong. For adults, a law reduces...You are right and wrong. <BR/><BR/>For adults, a law reduces cycling and increases the risk for the remaining cyclists, as shown in Nova Scotia and Australia, as well as increasing unhealthiness.<BR/><BR/>But for kids, a helmet law increases safety (by a lot!) and doesn't decrease cycling.<BR/><BR/>Me, an older adult, I always wear a helmet, and on busy roads, a bright safety vest. Helmets are not just protection, they are a great place to stick bright fluorescent/retroreflective stuff!<BR/><BR/>tOM http://SafeCycling.catOMhttp://safecycling.canoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24417328.post-65949914941746179742009-03-06T08:21:00.000+01:002009-03-06T08:21:00.000+01:00In New Zealand an intense push for cycle helmets i...In New Zealand an intense push for cycle helmets in the 1990s has seen all kids and adults wearing them. You are at risk of a fine if you do not wear one. However this has only served to discourage cycling and make it less attractive for the average commuter. Perhaps a relook at this law is needed.Rachelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15482587353255518989noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24417328.post-2106136377607027592009-03-05T19:54:00.000+01:002009-03-05T19:54:00.000+01:00whoops, IPCC. my badwhoops, IPCC. my badlolcopternoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24417328.post-55619110381811445542009-03-05T19:40:00.000+01:002009-03-05T19:40:00.000+01:00"Or just think of the scientists that George Bush ..."Or just think of the scientists that George Bush pulled out of his hat who refused to acknowledge that global warming was caused by humans. Despite the international scientific community's position that it was. Or rather is."<BR/><BR/>There are more scientists who question the notion of anthropogenic global warming than just a few of hand picked Bushies. There are even scientists within the UN IPPC who questions their original statement that humans cause global warming. Look it up.lolcopternoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24417328.post-69545105773070367582009-03-05T19:05:00.000+01:002009-03-05T19:05:00.000+01:00i agree with your last sentiment, dave. now i'm cu...i agree with your last sentiment, dave. now i'm curious... do you wear a lifevest when swimming or just hanging out on a beach? <BR/><BR/>the lifevest is a fantastic piece of safety equipment and actually designed to save lives. it would be, to me, logical that your sentiments about bike helmets would extend to other activities. You have a higher risk of drowning that getting a serious injury on a bicycle.<BR/><BR/>And what about driving in a car? Do you wear a motorcycle helmet? If not, are you irresponsible? Reckless? Your risk of head injury is far higher in a car than on a bike. An Australian study showed that if motorists would wear mc helmets, 25% of the lives lost each year could be saved.<BR/><BR/>And the simple act of walking down a city street... higher risk of head injury than cycling. Do you helmetize when pedestrianizing?<BR/><BR/>And don't forget your steel-toed shoes. You never know when something heavy might drop on them.<BR/><BR/>:-)<BR/>Just looking for logic, that's all.Mikaelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16749740728099129703noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24417328.post-78791029564625763002009-03-05T18:45:00.000+01:002009-03-05T18:45:00.000+01:00To "just a cyclist", your assessment is correct. ...To "just a cyclist", your assessment is correct. While I would not leave home without my helmet, I have no interest in telling others what to do. I especially do not want the government telling me what to do. I agree with Thoreau who said “The best government is that which governs least". I am a non-smoker who opposes smoking bans. I am also a social scientist and not a physical scientist, so I'll have to leave the helmet studies to others. I suspect the truth is that there are times when they help and times when they do not. There are too many variables for an absolute answer. It is as implausible that helmets NEVER help as it is that they ALWAYS help. It was an observational curiosity to me why contries that embrace cycling to such a high degree avoid helmets to such a high degree. I have a better understanding of the arguments. Mikael - I hope that neither of us is ever in a position to determine who is "right". Good riding.Davenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24417328.post-25536419394649693422009-03-05T17:33:00.000+01:002009-03-05T17:33:00.000+01:00I've just posted a "response" to this. The level o...I've just posted a <A HREF="http://hembrow.blogspot.com/2009/03/dutch-cycling-retains-its-popularity.html" REL="nofollow">"response"</A> to this. The level of cycling in the Netherlands has remained at pretty much the same level and not suffered from a reduction.<BR/><BR/>Of course, it has also not suffered from negative publicity surrounding helmets as these are as a matter of policy not pushed in NL by the cycling organisations. There is far more to lose by discouraging cycling than there is to gain by pushing "safety" equipment.David Hembrowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14543024940730663645noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24417328.post-10556564727096552182009-03-05T14:36:00.000+01:002009-03-05T14:36:00.000+01:00Sorry, I meant the *developed* world...Sorry, I meant the *developed* world...Just a cyclistnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24417328.post-72915614923086646822009-03-05T03:57:00.000+01:002009-03-05T03:57:00.000+01:00Have to say that it feels rather relieving to hear...Have to say that it feels rather relieving to hear Dave's opinions. It comes from an apparently devoted, almost zealous helmet user. I wrote almost - because he seems to rather focus on the bigger cycling issues such as the apparent lack of cycling infrastructure/culture and apparently acknowledges helmet use as a matter of personal choice.<BR/><BR/>If every friend of bicycle helmets had the same views then the developing world could focus on the really important issues of cycling policies - and safety - such as cycling infrastructure and, of course, on the health and environmental benefits of promoted and increased cycling.Just a cyclistnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24417328.post-30346738372569645302009-03-05T03:36:00.000+01:002009-03-05T03:36:00.000+01:00I hope the d30 stuff slowly drops in price, I woul...I hope the d30 stuff slowly drops in price, I would definitely wear a D30 beanie while cycling in winter.stevo9erhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05433977719370674324noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24417328.post-26702892487843231582009-03-04T21:18:00.000+01:002009-03-04T21:18:00.000+01:00the tests for bike helmets are designed to give th...the tests for bike helmets are designed to give the helmets the best possible environment to succeed. helmet manufacturers are involved in deciding how the tests should work - reassuring? not.<BR/><BR/>the tests are limited to simulating a pedestrian falling on the crown of his/her head from a standing position, without using their hands to break their fall. <BR/><BR/>the tests only involvee the crown of the head, not the sides or the back. there is resistance whenever it is suggested that tests include sides and back or more rigid testing. <BR/><BR/>simply because the helmets will fail. they don't take into account the weight of a body inside the helmet and the extra force that provides on impact. they don't take into account the injuries that cause brain damage - rotational injuries - and many studies suggest that helmets increase your likelihood of suffering these injuries.<BR/><BR/>the fact remains that there is nowhere in the world where helmet usage has reduced head injuries or death. that says it all.<BR/><BR/>you can believe or you can know. i choose the latter.Mikaelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16749740728099129703noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24417328.post-47695981683021067132009-03-04T14:53:00.000+01:002009-03-04T14:53:00.000+01:00No doubt fit is critical. Seems logical to me tha...No doubt fit is critical. Seems logical to me that if I'm going to hit my head I would rather have a helmet on than not, but it can be an impediment and obviously won't help every accident. It seems to me that the issue of whether they do or do not protect the head would be fairly easily solvable by impacting a head model with and without a helmet - crash test dummy for helmet testing. I wonder if that has ever been done?Davenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24417328.post-67811348003678102512009-03-03T23:28:00.000+01:002009-03-03T23:28:00.000+01:00@Dave- I stopped wearing my helmet when it nearly ...@Dave- I stopped wearing my helmet when it nearly got me killed. It had loosened up enough during my ride that it fell in my eyes just as I was entering an intersection causing me to not see the change in light. I was nearly taken out by not one but three cars. I have not put it back on since. When I am asked why I don't wear a helmet, I tell that story.<BR/><BR/>The funny thing is someone here in SF tried to get me to buy a helmet, recently. I told him if he could give me proof that it would protect me I would buy one. He proceeded to tell me about his 2 week stay in an ICU after a horrible bicycle accident he had several years earlier. He swore the helmet saved his life. I asked if he hit his head and he said no and lifted his shirt to show me where he had been impaled on a fence after being thrown from the bike (right through his liver). I asked him if the helmet was so amazing it would have protected he abdomen as well, and he chuckled. Turns out, he had the same experience I had with his helmet obscuring his vision and causing him to plow into a car! <BR/><BR/>I don't like a helmet ruining my hair, but that is not why I don't wear one.Adrienne Johnsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16658593098911314756noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24417328.post-69265578594533724712009-03-03T20:56:00.000+01:002009-03-03T20:56:00.000+01:00Mikael, While you may be experiencing a (temporary...Mikael, While you may be experiencing a (temporary) setback regarding helmets in Denmark, I hope it can improve your mood somewhat to learn that your positive influence on the helmet matter extends far beyond the English- or Danish-speaking web.<BR/><BR/>Have a look at the references for the <A HREF="http://translate.google.com/translate_s?hl=en&clss=&q=Bicycle+helmet&sl=en&tl=ja" REL="nofollow">Japanese Wikipedia-page on bicycle helmets, for instance through the google translator. <BR/></A><BR/>It refers to http://Cykelhjelm.org and another that you know well.Morten Langehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09021796294224446607noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24417328.post-80721587716662880302009-03-03T19:04:00.000+01:002009-03-03T19:04:00.000+01:00What I find interesting about this discussion is t...What I find interesting about this discussion is that in the US, people who wear helmets do so because they think it is safer (debatable, apparently), but those who avoid helmets do so because it is annoying, or too hot, or messes up their hair, or is just inconvenient. Some don't wear them because they don't think that they will be in an accident. I don't see riders making a concious decision not to wear a helmet because they do not think it is safer. Most places here though, bike riding is much more recreational. Few of us use a bike as a primary means of transportation. Those who do probably think more about those things than recreational riders do. I suspect that is why this discussion has reached a higher level in Europe than in the US.Davenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24417328.post-88683762003130026282009-03-03T15:41:00.000+01:002009-03-03T15:41:00.000+01:00I have been told off for not wearing a helmet, and...I have been told off for not wearing a helmet, and not making my children wear helmets when riding on my bike with me. The most recent (I think) was the local bike shop owner, who then got a barrage of statistics. Poor man looked a bit dazed afterwards, but he did say he'd look into it further. Trouble is, helmets have a very high profit margin.<BR/>Anyway, I think the best thing we can do is be ready with the facts, and ride sans polystyrene to show people cycling is safe.workbikehttp://workbike.wordpress.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24417328.post-32256259173229759702009-03-02T22:44:00.000+01:002009-03-02T22:44:00.000+01:00Sadly, where I live there are not enough cyclist t...Sadly, where I live there are not enough cyclist to shout anything at each other. There is one bike rack within a 5 minute walk of my office. Usually my bike is lonely. Enjoy your environment.Davenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24417328.post-14192281782206119892009-03-02T22:37:00.000+01:002009-03-02T22:37:00.000+01:00Dave: the doctor, while probably a very good docto...Dave: the doctor, while probably a very good doctor, is not an expert in bike helmets.<BR/><BR/>the debate is, however, not that emotional in Europe. We don't have helmeted cyclists rolling up to non-helmeted cyclists and preaching/shouting/insulting about their lack of headgear like in america. <BR/><BR/>not yet, anyway. the cyclist groups here put more weight on science than rhetoric and emotional blackmail, for which I'm grateful. Just not in this country.Mikaelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16749740728099129703noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24417328.post-87959748024699811702009-03-02T22:17:00.000+01:002009-03-02T22:17:00.000+01:00Obviously no accident can be recreated so no, I ha...Obviously no accident can be recreated so no, I have no "proof". It is interesting to me how much emotion there is on this topic in Europe. We have had similarly heated debate here over motorcycle helmet laws. Not as many cyclists, and most of the debate has been over whether children should be required to wear them. As for my son, I have only the opinion of his doctor and the condition of the helmet. Can I "prove it" - no. But in a case like that, I would rather be wearing a helmet than not. I would not be in favor of a law requiring helmet use. It's a personal decision.Davenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24417328.post-76200686833023988512009-03-02T22:05:00.000+01:002009-03-02T22:05:00.000+01:00anon: they stand there contemplating it and think ...anon: they stand there contemplating it and think "I won't let them take the bike because I'm scared..." Because of fearmongering campaigns. Instead, we should be telling our citizens that we live in the safest bike nation on the planet and encouraging them to ride, not lauching scare campaigns that ultimately result in parents driving their kids to school, as mentioned in the post.<BR/><BR/>Dave: tell me... how did you prove scientifically that it 'saved his life'? Did you reenact the accident without a helmet and compare the result? This kind of anecdotal 'belief' is not science and it is not backed up by science. In fact, <A HREF="http://cyclehelmets.org/1019.html" REL="nofollow">read this "A helmet saved my life" article</A> to get to back onto the 'knowledge' track.<BR/><BR/>These kinds of stories, without any proof and based merely on belief serve no good purpose to cycling. A bicycle helmet isn't designed to protect the head against life-threatening injuries.Mikaelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16749740728099129703noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24417328.post-27336615697968947502009-03-02T21:55:00.000+01:002009-03-02T21:55:00.000+01:00As an American, I am envious of your bike culture....As an American, I am envious of your bike culture. I wish I had your bike lanes and your level of support for bike commuting. I commute most days and am nearly always alone against the cars. I would no more leave home without my helmet though than I would my wheels. I have a 19 year old son who had a crash two years ago that he would not have survived without a helmet. It did not involve a car either, so a dedicated bike lane would not have mattered. He wound up going over the bike and his head hit a steel post. The helmet died but he did not. No bike leaves our driveway without the rider wearing a helmet.Davenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24417328.post-74471516128772362482009-03-02T21:44:00.000+01:002009-03-02T21:44:00.000+01:00So...let me get this straight. All over Denmark, i...So...let me get this straight. All over Denmark, in the mornings before school starts...parents stand in their doorways, and contemplate the dilemma...should I drive the car to take the youngsters to school? Or, should I let them ride their bicycle to school? And, their answer is....I guess I'll take the car, because darn it anyway, they have to wear a helmet if they ride their bike.<BR/><BR/>Call me skeptical on that.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com